Source:
Selwyn, Neil & Huson, Onno (2010). The education benefits of technological competence.
Vol. 23, No. 2, 137-141.
This article written by an Education Institute in London was recently published in June 2010 regarding the positives and negatives of the uprise in technology and media in elementary and secondary public schools. The article is truly an investigation on whether or not educators and families find technology to be a mostly positive uprise in the education system. Studies were done to answer this question, and from the looks of it, analysis on this subject still remains the same. This analysis still shows that no matter what we do, technology will continue to enhance. Between arguments that technology is saves us time and saves us environmentally, technology will not be frowned upon.
This article and its research provided information that personally did shock me, as a future educator. Research showed that the age group in a household that had most belief in the benefits of educational technology was the middle child in a family. Not so shockingly, the oldest child had the least belief in the benefits. This could possible be because technology was not as prominent in this child's education, as it is to a younger sibling. Or, as the article says, that this child has spent more time in the school system, and has seen that technology maintains "limited" value. According to this article, many of the students that were interviewed did see the benefits of technology, however, believed that video games and other media could make children aggressive, and that basically, not all technology and media is created with an educational purpose.
As a future educator, I do agree that we must embrace technology since it is continuing to expand right before our eyes. However, I must say, that the use of technology may not benefit every student and their individual way of learning. As for Early Childhood, I feel that I still have the opportunity to incorporate all different styles of learning, including using technology. I look forward to learning and studying more regarding this topic.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteThe truth of the matter is technology is simply a tool. If the tool is used correctly then there are great benefits, if it is not, then it creates problems. I have to say that technology does not save time, in fact, sometimes it takes more time, it all depends on the situation. Today at work, I had three teachers come to me because their Promethean Boards (white boards) were not working,and the third teacher could not get two computers in her lab to work. Now when technology does not work, there really is no back-up plan because it takes to long to create flip charts (using Promethean) that teachers simply run out of time trying to type the same information in a Word document. The problem is that technology has to be maintained at all times and it is very costly to do that, and at times when there is a problem it does not get corrected right away. I have no problem with embracing technology, but I do so with my eyes open and I am always aware that anything can go wrong at any time, and a master teacher does their best to be prepared for that, but at times it is almost impossible to do so.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you that there's no way in stopping technology from enhancing. Also, that technology isn't the only way to teach. I don't see anything wrong with the "old" way of teaching with paper and pencil. Bringing all different strategies to the classroom is always the best solution!